Cable management system for fiber optic trays

Abstract

A cable management system includes a support having a stem and an arm that extends from the stem. The arm includes a channel having a plurality of openings. A locking sled is slidable from a locked position to an unlocked position within the channel. The locking sled has a plurality of locking grooves that align with the plurality of openings. Fiber optic trays are mounted to the arm, and each fiber optic tray has at least one hinge inserted through an opening on the arm and a locking groove on the locking sled. The fiber optic trays are pivotable with respect to the arm when the hinges are in the unlocked portion, and the fiber optic trays are fixed with respect to the arm when the hinges are in the locked portion.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A cable management system comprising:
 a support having a stem and an arm extending from the stem, the arm having a channel with a plurality of openings on opposite sides of the channel; 
 a locking sled slidable from a locked position to an unlocked position within the channel, and having a plurality of locking grooves that align with the plurality of openings, each locking groove having a locked portion and an unlocked portion; and 
 a plurality of fiber optic trays mounted to the arm, each fiber optic tray having at least one hinge inserted through an opening on the arm and inserted through a locking groove on the locking sled; 
 wherein the fiber optic trays are pivotable with respect to the arm when the hinges are in the unlocked portion, and the fiber optic trays are fixed with respect to the arm when the hinges are in the locked portion. 
 
     
     
       2. The cable management system of  claim 1 , wherein the locked portion of each locking groove has a polygon shape, and the unlocked portion of each locking groove has an elliptical shape. 
     
     
       3. The cable management system of  claim 1 , wherein the locked portion of each locking groove has a polygon shape, and the hinge of each fiber optic tray has a corresponding polygon shape. 
     
     
       4. The cable management system of  claim 3 , wherein the polygon shape is a hexagon, and each fiber optic tray is pivotable with respect to the arm by 60 degrees, by 120 degrees, or by 180 degrees. 
     
     
       5. The cable management system of  claim 3 , wherein the polygon shape is a square, and each fiber optic tray is pivotable with respect to the arm by 90 degrees or by 180 degrees. 
     
     
       6. The cable management system of  claim 1 , wherein the arm extends from the stem at about 30 degrees to about 60 degrees. 
     
     
       7. The cable management system of  claim 1 , wherein a single movement of the locking sled from the locked position to the unlocked position concurrently pivots a plurality of fiber optic trays simultaneously. 
     
     
       8. A telecommunications closure comprising the cable management system of  claim 1 . 
     
     
       9. A locking sled for use in a cable management system, the locking sled comprising:
 a body configured to slide within the cable management system, the body having at least a first sliding surface and a second sliding surface, the first sliding surface and the second sliding surface being parallel with one another; and 
 a first set of locking grooves on the first sliding surface, and a corresponding second set of locking grooves on the second sliding surface, each locking groove having a locked portion and an unlocked portion; 
 wherein the locked portion prevents a fiber optic tray from pivoting with respect to the cable management system, and the unlocked portion allows the fiber optic tray to pivot with respect to the cable management system. 
 
     
     
       10. The locking sled of  claim 9 , wherein the locked portion has a polygon shape, and the unlocked portion has an elliptical shape. 
     
     
       11. The locking sled of  claim 9 , wherein the locked portion has a hexagon shape, and the locking grooves allow fiber optic trays to pivot with respect to the cable management system by 60 degrees, by 120 degrees, or by 180 degrees. 
     
     
       12. The locking sled of  claim 9 , wherein the locked portion has a square shape, and the locking grooves allow fiber optic trays to pivot with respect to the cable management system by 90 degrees or 180 degrees. 
     
     
       13. A cable management system for telecommunications closure, the cable management system comprising the locking sled of  claim 9 . 
     
     
       14. A method of operating a cable management system, the method comprising:
 providing a cable management system having a locking sled; 
 enabling the locking sled to slide from a locked position to an unlocked position within the cable management system; 
 allowing at least one fiber optic tray to pivot with respect to the cable management system for providing access to a previously inaccessible fiber optic tray when the locking sled is in the unlocked position; and 
 enabling the locking sled to slide from the unlocked position to the locked position, when the locking sled is in the locked position, preventing the at least one fiber optic tray to pivot with respect to the cable management system. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 enabling the addition or removal of an optical fiber to the previously inaccessible fiber optic tray, or adjustments to an optical fiber on the previously inaccessible fiber optic tray when the locking sled is in the locked position. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 enabling a single movement of the locking sled from the locked position to the unlocked position to concurrently pivot a plurality of fiber optic trays simultaneously.